Dymatize supplements power aspiring NFL players through their Combine and Draft prep at IMG Academy

An invite to the NFL Combine is a privilege. It is not a guaranteed spot in the upcoming draft. For athletes seeking a career in the NFL, they need to bring the total package to the Combine in order to showcase the multitude of skills they have. IMG Academy provides the NFL Pre-Combine/Draft Training Program, an intensive NFL Combine and pro day prep program that does more than strengthen the athlete’s on-field skills. In addition to rigorous weight training and demanding position-specific work, athletes are immersed in professional development and leadership training, individualized sports nutrition and supplementation, mental conditioning and state-of-the-art vision training to maximize their talents when they are under the greatest scrutiny. IMG Academy Pre-Combine/Draft trainees are challenged with a demanding schedule that taxes them both mentally and physically. Fortunately, IMG Academy has teamed up with Dymatize to provide these athletes with top-of-the line nutritional supplements to fuel performance and recovery.

Quick bursts of speed and power are essential for on-field success. Explosiveness and power are fueled by the creatine-phosphagen system, which is an immediate energy system supplying fuel for high-intensity exercise lasting 5-10 seconds. Dymatize creatine monohydrate is a staple supplement in most athletes’ day. Supplementing with creatine monohydrate post-workout helps to saturate the body’s natural stores of creatine, which, in turn, allows them to work harder and for longer at high intensities. As a result, greater performance and body composition changes are made.

An athlete training at IMG Academy will undoubtedly feel the pain of lactic acid build-up throughout their training sessions. Unfortunately, this is often an uncomfortable stimulus that forces the athlete to stop his exercise, despite the muscles still being able to accomplish more repetitions. Fortunately, Dymatize offers beta alanine to counteract this situation. Beta alanine acts as a buffer to delay the onset of the uncomfortable feeling. By prolonging the time in which this sensation is felt, athletes are able to accomplish more work at high-intensities. The result? Greater gains in performance and body composition are made.

Another nutritional tool available to the athletes are Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s). BCAA’s are unique amino acids that are delivered directly to skeletal muscle upon ingestion. BCAA supplementation plays a critical role in “jumpstarting” the recovery process. Additionally, supplementation with BCAA’s aids in muscle repair, reducing soreness and contributes to positive change in body composition.

To further aid in the recovery process, athletes are supplemented with Dymatize HMB. HMB is a metabolite of one of the BCAA’s, leucine. HMB possesses both anti-catabolic and anabolic properties—its helps stop muscle breakdown and aids in muscle building. Combined with a high-intensity training stimulus, HMB supplementation contributes to enhanced recovery and positive changes in both performance and body composition.

The additional stress of a potential four-day career interview, in addition to weeks and weeks of intense training, puts one at an increased risk for a compromised immune system. That’s where Dymatize Glutamine comes into play. Glutamine is a conditionally essential amino acid that has been shown to enhance immune response and function. In times where an athlete is feeling run down, glutamine supplementation may bolster the athlete’s immune system during a stressful and chaotic time period.

IMG Academy’s NFL Combine Preparation Program is an intensive, life-changing experience that challenges athletes from every angle. Dymatize supplements provide the competitive edge these athletes need to train and recover as they prepare for the next level. Throughout the 2015 Program, athletes lost an average of 4% body fat while simultaneously gaining muscle mass. Furthermore, the majority of athletes were able to meet their combine weigh-in goal prior to flying up to Indianapolis. These athletes made a huge sacrifice and pushed themselves to new limits during their time at IMG. Dymatize provided the extra edge needed to push them to the next level.